Fishhook container



June 17, 1952 M. J- LESTER FISHHOOK CONTAIN Filed April 6, 19

Patented June 17, 1952 UN I TEE-D PATE NT "()FF 2,600,665 rrsnncon ooNTAiNE'R Michael Lester, fihicagoylll. Apiflieat'itn April's, 194s, senainoxraita (Cl. ra-"575) '2Glaims.

My invention relates t; "boit's or rceptacls in which fish hooks are kept, ammo e artianany to that type-which con-'tain mt'ans to kee'p' 'the fish hooks mounted between'supports ah'd tension'ed'to hold their places, and one object i's' to provide a container of this kind-which has a series "of dowels in one endfor the application of fish hooks of different lengths anda unit 'in the opposite end "for individually tensioning the fis'h hooks.

A further object is to employ means in the tensioning unit which lend the same a high degree of structuralandoperative efficiency.

Another object is't'o dispose .theidowels referred to removably in case a repair 'or replacement is necessary. h V w An additional object is term-m the container in a manner tobe neat and con'ipact.

With the above objects-in 'view, 'and any others which may suggestthemselves "from the, description to follow,-a betterunderstjanding of "the invention may-be had-by refer'ehceto the 'a'c'companying drawing inwhich I Fig. "1 is'a perspectiveview of the containerin the closed position;

Fig. 2 is a top plan View of the container in the open position, with a portion of the cover broken away;

Fi 3 is an enlarged section on the line 3-3 of Fig. 2; and

Fig. 4 is a fragmental section on the line 4 of Fig. 3.

Fig. 5 is a section on the line 5-5 of Fig. 2 showing the manner of mounting the dowels.

In accordance with the foregoing, specific reference to the drawing indicates the novel container as a long, shallow box II], which may be made of wood, fibre or plastic material. The box is rectangular at one end; and its front and rear walls-indicated at H and I2, respectively-con verge curvedly toward the other end, as shown at l3, to terminate with a point I 4. The rear wall |2 receives a cover |5 by means of a piano hinge I 6 and the cover and front wall have the cooperative elements I1 and I8 of a spring latch.

Fig. 2 shows that the fish hooks having the usual hook portions 28 are carried at the front ends of leaders 2|, the rear ends of the latter having loops 22 formed therein. Th fish hooks are selectively engageable with a series of transversely positioned dowels 23 whose ends seat in the bottoms of correspondingly positioned vertical guides or grooves 24 cut in the inner sides of the walls II and I2. The guides are of curved crosssection; and the ends of the dowels are rounded to fit within the curved guides. The dowels are of .2 such lengths that their ends ar" masteringetionally engage the proper pairs tif guides. The dowels therefore hold their positions ihithe hottorn of the gmaestutmay"harassedenter tis sam in case-ofrepair-'or replaoeirient.

It is contemplated that the front 6k portions 20 of the fish hooksare tob'e' appliedt'o selected dowels 23, the selection beingdetermined b'ythe length of the leaders 2 l ,{the hooks containingthe longe'i leaders being applie'd to-th dowel's further to'the hem of the containeranil thos with the shorter leads being applied to the aearxnost dowels' s'lection of the respective dowels as: pending on "the 1ength of the lea'd ers. nachycr the hook leaders are provided at their rear en'ti's with leader loops 22, as is usualin wader c structio'ns. "The inventitin eiiib'o'd' as best etal unit indicated at- ZB, the s transversely ofthe container and 16 next to the side wall 2'! thereof as wardly extending oppositly dis v tions 3'2-"and'38, said portions straddling abl k 28 which is secured "to th ho'ttom fofftlie con tainer as by screws-ornails 2 821. lliefront and rear ends of the member 26 fit frictionally between the front and rear walls II and I2 of the box, such a construction permitting the block 28 to hold the sheet metal member 26 next to the wall 21 and preventing the same from moving away therefrom.

The top 26 of the sheet metal member inclines as shown at 30 in a forward direction to a lower level 3|; and th outer flange 32 of the sheet metal member is struck inwardly to provide a series of tongues 33. As seen in Figs. 3 and 4, these form attaching means for a series of coil springs 34 leading to the top portion 3|. The springs 34 at their forward ends receive the heel bends 35 of a series of flat leader receiving hooks 36. These pass' through slots 31 in the forward flange 38 to terminate with bills 39 terminating over the top portion 3|, as shown in Fig. 3. The loops 22 of the fish hook leaders 2| engage the correspondingly located hook bills 39.

When a fish hook is desired to be mounted in. I

Since fewer hooks with long leaders are required, the greater number of dowels for the hooks may be longer to accommodate the larger number of hooks having short leaders; whereby the box is thus tapered to be more compact, its pointed design simulating a boat as the usual environment of its use,

The tensioning unit is a simple and sturdy structure. While it maintains its position in the box because of its engagement with the block 28, it may be pried out with a small screw driver or other handy tool in case it requires any attention or repair. The raised part of the top portion 26 afiords a clearance for the operation of the springs 34; and the reduced top portion 3! forms a seating or guiding surface for the fiat hooks 36 to keep them from turning. The lower level of the top portion 3| also allows an ample clearance for the hook bills 39 under the box cover I5 or from a hand or any other object passing over the top portion 26.

It is now apparent that the novel container is primarily a fishermans accessory which is fiat or compact enough to be kept in a tackle box or carried in ones pocket. In addition, the container 7 ward ends and loops at their rear ends, and means I in the container engageable by said fish hooks; of a sheet metal member located in the container opposite said hook engageable means and formed with front and rear downbent walls, hooks slidable through the front wall and formed with bills receiving said loops, tension springs within the member and in line with the respective hooks, the latter engaging the front ends of the springs, and connecting means extended from said rear wall for the rear ends of th springs, the forepart of the top portion of the member being fiat to form a guide on the under side for said hooks, and the rear part of such top being raised to form a clearance for said springs.

2. Th combination with a container for fish hook leaders arranged in laterally-spaced relation, such leaders having fish hooks at their forward ends and loops at their rear ends, and means in the container engageable by said fish hooks; of a sheet metal member located in the container opposite said hook engageable means and formed with front and rear downbent walls, hooks slidable through the front wall and formed with bills receiving said loops, tension springs within the member and in line with th respective hooks, the latter engaging the front ends of the springs, and connecting means extended from said rear wall for the rear ends of the springs, th forepart of the top portion of the member being flat to form a guide on the under side for said hooks, the rear part of such top being raised to form a clearance for said springs, and said forepart and rear part being connected by an inclined part.

MICHAEL J. LESTER.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 197,935 Holt Dec. 11, 1877 1,014,889 McDonald Jan. 16, 1912 1,183,647 Joyce May 16, 1916 1,737,450 Burch et al Nov. 26, 1929 2,065,234 Martinez Dec. 22, 1936 2,069,661 Tiede Feb. 2, 1937 2,190,647 Buicke Feb. 20, 1940 

